Wheeled trunk and the like



April 13, 1948. KE|| 2,439,660 7 WHEELED TRUNK AND THE LIKE Filed June 19, 1946 RUDOLPH KE/L ATTORNEY a I I8 I210 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEELED TRUNK AND THE LIKE Rudolph Keil, Pelham Manor, N. Y. Application June 19, 1946, Serial No. 677,860

4 Claims. (01. 280-37) My invention relates to trunks, large suit cases or similar pieces of portable luggage which hitherto have been generally carried in lifted positions, and an object of my invention is to enable a person to move pieces of this kind conveniently without having to lift their weight.

Other objects are to provide a trunk or the like with a wheeled axle or shaft, to make it possible to move this trunk rollingly like a wheelbarrow or a cart, to make it unnecessary to move a heavy piece of luggage slidingly over the floor, and, thereby, to avoid most of the frictional resistance and any damage or wear of the luggage which may easily result from sliding movement.

A further object is to provide for optional movement of a trunk or the like by hand either by holding the trunk in lifted position or by rolling the trunk over the floor.

Still other objects are to provide a trunk or the like with a wheel or with coaxial wheels positioned near an edge of the trunk, to provide a wheeled trunk or the like which can rest on wheels and on an edge remote from the wheels, and to arrange the wheel or the wheels in a position where the axis of the same is located under the center of gravity of the-trunk when the latter is slightly tilted around this axis.

Still further objects are to provide for two different positions of the wheel or the wheels, one where the Wheels project beyond an edge of the trunk or out of the trunk body and one where the wheels are withdrawn or concealed in the body of the trunk, to avoid exposure of the wheels and any damage which projecting parts may suffer r inflict when the wheels are not used, and to provide for easy and quick conversion from the concealed position of the wheels into the position of use and vice versa.

Still further objects are to obtain these results with simple and reliable means, and to provide a structure which does not interfere with the conventional form or with the contents of a trunk or the like,

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of my invention, from the appended claims and from the accompanying drawing in which: 7

Fig. 1 shows a side view of an illustrative embodiment of my invention in a position adapted for rolling movement.

Fig. 2 shows another side view of the same embodiment in a condition adapted for carrying the trunk in lifted position, Fig. 2 being seen in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the Wheeled edge and the neighboring parts of the same embodiment on a larger scale, this view being also seen in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1, the wheels being in position of use.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5,shows the same as Fig. 4, except that the wheel is represented turned in concealed position.

Referring to the drawing, numeral I indicates the main body and 3 the cover of a container forming a trunk of any suitable structure. This structure may comprise a handle 5 affixed to a narrow short side of the body I and a handle 6 aflixed to a narrow long side of this body. The

walls of the trunk may be made of any suitable material and may have edges reinforced by layers 1 of metal, leather or the like.

Two corners of that side which is opposite to the side provided with the handle 5 have recesses in which metal pieces 8 are inserted and permanently, aflixed, for example by rivets 20. Each piece 8 has a cavity which has an opening at that edge of the trunk which runs from one of these recessed corners to the other. This cavity comprises a main space 9 and two less deep lateral extensions [0 of this space.

Parts of a shaft I l which are connected as will be described later cross the extensions Ill in a direction parallel to the open edge of the piece 8, are separated by the space 9 and enter the lateral walls of this piece, These walls have co-axi-al bores in which the shaft II can rotate. This shaft may extend beyond the inner one of these walls through the adjacent wall of the trunk body I; and the corresponding shaft belonging to the other piece 8 may form a continuation of the first shaft whereby both pieces are crossed by one shaft. Or the shafts may be divided into two independent parts, each crossing only one piece 8.

A lever I2 is aflixed to each of the shafts I l and is rotatable therewith. Preferably, the lever l2 comprises two identical or symmetrical lateral arms positioned in the lateral spaces l0 and a bar [3 connecting the ends of these arms across the space 9. In the position in which the wheels are used (shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4), the lever l2 contacts the piece 8 at a surface of its cavity or of the extensions ID. This surface stops further movement of the lever l 2 in that direction which is clockwise in Fig. 4.

t From this position, the lever l2 can be turned around the axis of the shafts II in anti-clockwise direction until the lever contacts a similar surface positioned at the opposite side of the cavity.

In the shown embodiment, these twostopping surfaces are positioned symmetrical with respect to a plane through the shaft axis and the open edge of the piece 8. A turn of 180 degrees moves the lever 12 from one end position to the other. The second position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 is used when the wheels should be concealed as will be described later. The lever I2 may be secured in this position against unintentional. dislocation by suitable-means. :For example; aismall fiat spring l4 thethicknessof which is exaggerated in the drawing for the sake of clearer representation may be afiixed to the ceiling of a space in a suitable position whereby this spring :snaps into a recess I5 provided in an arm of the lever l2 when the lever is positioned as shown inFigtfi.

Each arm of the lever i2 has a-an extension Hi provided with a bore which is eccentric with respect to the shaft II. A shaft or axle -I-T'isinserted in the two coaxial eccentric bores of the ;-t.woearmsrofneachdever l2. A small wheel or :roller 2- i:8;.is positioned :around thashaft {t6 and carried-Joy this shaft. lhesv'vhe'el i8 is arotata ble aarnundithe axisaof the shaft '11 eitherxby turni-ng around this shaft or by rotating-togetherwith ithisis'haft.

In the position shown in Fig.-4,the:arm-exten- :sion': isiistpositioned atthe outer srde on-the: shaf t ii ,nan'di the wheel t8 iprojec ts beyonduthe neighaxis being suitably-measured.

Wi'th -the wheels F8 in this-latter -positioh; the trunk can be hand-led l-ilse*an-ordinary trunk, for example' in the "p osition shown in Fi'gfi 2. The 'trurilc may be lifted or carried -by theharrdle and may be 'shippe'd--or -storedfin usual -manner. During all theseioperations, the concealed wheels and levers are' protectedare not exposed to in- "juries, can :not scratoh or indentether "b odies arid-do not hinder close and -even accumiilation xii-several pieces of luggage.

In order to convert th'e trurik'intc rl-li-rrg con- :dition, the:operatorinserts the tip of a fing-erin one: o; the spaces 9, reaching bhirrd the' 'lever bar it ,1 and turns the'lever in clockwise direction from the: positi err-shown Fig. 5ll-ntd thats'how-n in ig.= '4. Thereby, the- -lever arm afflxec'l -tothis har -turn the shaft i 5 turns arid moves the other lever 62 si-i-nu'ltaneou'slyandcorrespondingly. '='If each lever may be turned separately in the described manner. "lilhen-"t-he turning" operation starts; the finger eas ily overcomes t-he slight resistance oi' the small '-spring 1 4' which may be idle=inl.the-=position shown in Figfflrf the proper position ef -thelevers -lz b eing' sn c-iently-secur-ed in tiiis lat-ter positiorfloy the-Weight ofth'e'truhk.

"After s' conye-r'sion, the trunk-can beeasily wheeled, 101' example inthe position shown in Fig. 1. l-he trunk may oe ti-lte'd duiing the rolling movement i'esired and convenient-degree-without t'hewvheeled edge ever=contacting thexfifloo'r" or anyste-p -that may be in 'the 'way o f the r movement. "The rolling-movement may be interrupted whenever desire'd and-the trunk'may temporarily rest on the wheels 'l-t' azrd -on the edge l tl of the trunk.

'1 desire itunderstood that- 'my-"irivention is'not confined '--'t0 the particular embodiment-shown anddescr-ibedfithe same being merely illustrative,

0 levers iZ arenOt 'con'nectecl by arcommon and that my invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent .is:

A trunk or the like comprising a portable container having a recess at one of'its outer edges, a shaft carried by said container and "crossing said recess, a lever carried by said shaft zandrturn'able relatively to said container in a plane substantially perpendicular to said edge,

'andawheerrotatably carried by said lever and 'ha-ving an -axispositioned eccentrically with respect to the turning axis of said lever whereby turning'of said lever shifts said wheel axis between two positions, one nearer to said edge than the otherns'aid wheel having-a diameterso measured tnat 'said-iwheel roj ects out of 'said re'cess .whenits; axis isIinsaid firstpositionand is"com- *pleteiy withdrawn into "said "recess when said wheeliaxis I is: in said :o'then position.

2. A trunk or the lilre, comprising a'a por-t'alble contain-er having 'two recesses' one 'n'ean each-end or one' of the outer edges of said container, a shaft "rotatably carried by isaidcontainer and crossing 'said two recesses ine "direction -parallel to said edge, two levers al'iflxed. to-said shafti in substantial ly'ra'diab directions, 1 one 'bei-ng positioned m one of said recesses and the other in the other reeess, and two --wheels,- one rotatably carried by one-of said levers and"the othe'zr by theothe'r lever; said Wheels having atcommon ax-is positioned-cotton triealllyn'with respect to the "axis 'of said-sh'aft whereby turning of said shaft=shifts said wheel axis between two positions, "one nearer to said edgje than the "other, -'said *wheels having diamters so measured that said wheels project out of sai'd' recesses whentheir axis is in-said first -position and are -'complete-ly withdrawn-into saidrecesses when said wheel axis- 1s insaid other position.

"-3. trunk or the like, comprising a portable container having *a recess "at "one "of its ut-e'r edges, 'a shaft carried -'by"s'aid container and crossing said"recess,"'a' lever carried"by saidshaft and "turnable relatively to' said container 'in a plan substantially perpendicular to said, "edge, and a wheel --rotatably carriedby said l'ever and having-an axis positionedeccent'rically' with respent: to'- the turning axisof sai'd 'lever' whereby turn-ingof' said lever shifts's-aid wheel aixis" hetweentwopositions, one nearer-tosaid edge than the other, said wheel havinga diameterso measused that said wheel projects'out of saidrec'ess when its axis-ls in sai'd"firstpositiorr and is Completly "withdrawn "into *said recess when "said wheel' axis is in said other "position, said lever, idsaid' first position, contacting said container in the turning direction.

-4. A trunk-or the "like,-"comprisingia'portable container having "recess "aton'e "of its outer edges, "a shaft "carried by said "container arid having an axis positioned eceentri'cajlly withresp'ec't to the' turning axis of said leVer'whe-reby turning. or *saidlever shiftssaid' wl-ieel axis "between' twopositions, one nearer-to saidedge-th'an the other, said wheel having 'ad-iameter someas- 5 1 6 f I x ured that said wheel projects out of said recess 7 when its axis is in said first position and. is com- NITED STATES PATENTS pietely withdrawn into said recess when said wheel axis is in said other position, said lever, in Number Name I Date said other position being withdrawn into said ,5 362,368 Roberts y 1 7 recess, 1,197,190 Dunn et a1 Sept. 5, 1916 RUDOLPH KEIL. 8,864 Pinheiro June 9, 1931 2,358,007 Henley Sept. 12, 1944-.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent: 

